Dust guard cap for journal boxes



June 12, 1956 w. H. SALE 2,750,213

DUST GUARD CAP FOR JOURNAL BOXES Filed March 15, 1952 Jude/270;. wz zzzmz .5016

MMg

United States Patent 0..

DUST GUARD CAP FOR JOURNAL BOXES William H. Sale, Richmond, Va., assignor of one-half to Edmund P. Kelly, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 15, 1952, Serial No. 276,840

4 Claims. (Cl. 286-6) This invention relates to a dust-guard cap for journal boxes and has particular reference to means for securely holding the cap in place.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cap that may be applied to a journal box quickly and easily and will protect the journal box from water, cinders or dirt that might otherwise impair the efliciency of the car journal.

A further object is to provide means for securing the cap in place on the journal box and locking :means that may be readily applied for holding the cap securing means against accidental displacement. Another object of the invention is to provide such locking means that may be released without difiiculty.

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages of the present construction will be apparent from reading .the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, h w ng a preferred illustrative embodiment, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view, partly in elevation and partly in section, v f a journal box to which a cap embodying the present invention is applied;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the cap with the locking means in position to prevent accidental displacement of the cap holding means;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a journal box with the dust-guard cap held in place thereon;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the dust-guard cap before the holding means is tightened in place;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the dust-guard cap, holding means, and locking member in assembled relationship, but with the journal box structure omitted;

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the locking member;

Figure 7 is a top elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 5; and

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view, taken along the line 88 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is illustrated as applied to a journal box 2 for one end of a car axle 3. The axle is journalled in the box 2 in conventional manner. A lid 4 is hinged to the outer end of the journal box to provide access to the interior of the box so that lubricant can be applied to the journal. The box is also provided adjacent its inner end with a transverse chamber 5 adapted to receive a conventional dust guard 6, of felt or similar material, which fits around the axle to protect the journal from dirt and to prevent the escape of lubricant through the inner end of the box. The upper portion of the box adjacent the ends of the opening leading to chamber 5 is provided with a pair of integral overhanging projections 6 which form downwardly and inwardly inclined lugs against which the ends of the dust-guard cap are secured.

The dust-guard cap, designated generally by the refer ence numeral 7 comprises a top cover 8, side flanges 9 and 10, end flanges 11 and 12, and an L-shaped bracket 13 Patented June 12, 1956 ice welded to one end portion of top cover 8 and having one leg 14 depending in approximate parallel relationship to the adjacent end flange 12. The end flange 11 is bent inwardly to conform approximately to the angularity of the lug 6 against which it fits when the dust-guard cap is positioned with the top cover 8 overlying the opening to chamber 5 and the side flanges 9 and 10 lying against the sides adjacent the top of the chamber 5. As initially applied, flange 12 depends downwardly at right angles to top cover 8, as shown in Figure 4. The cap 7 is applied by fitting the flange 11 around the lug 6 at one end of the chamber 5, and then moving the cap pivotally downward until the flanges 9 and 10 embrace the top of the chamber 5 and the flange 12 is moved to the position indicated in Figure 4.

The downwardly extending leg 14 of bracket 13 is provided with an aperture 15 threaded to receive a bolt 16. As the bolt 16 is threaded through the aperture 15 it engages end flange 12 and presses it inwardly against the inclined surface of the adjacent lug 6 to hold the dustguard cap in place on the journal box. The holding means above described may be sufficient to hold the dustguard cap in position under some'conditions, but the constant vibration and jarring to which the journal box is often subjected may :cause the bolt 16 to work loose and then loosen the dust-guard cap sufiiciently to allow dust or dirt to enter the journal box. Accordingly, I have provided a locking member'17 for holding the bolt 16, against accidental displacement. Although the dust-guard cap as illustrated is provided with a locking member at one end only, it will be obvious that another looking member may be mounted on the opposite end, if desired.

The locking member is made of soft iron .that may be readily :bent with .a hammer and is shaped .to provide two legs .18 and 19 of unequal length, connected at one end by a web portion 20. The leg 18 is approximately the same length as the leg 14 of bracket 13 and is provided with an aperture 21 larger than the shank of bolt 16. The leg 19 is longer than leg 18 and is provided with an aperture 22, similar in size to aperture 21 and in axial alignment therewith. Before the bolt 16 is threaded into aperture 15 the locking member 17 is positioned with its legs 18 and 19 straddling leg 14. The bolt 16 is passed through aperture 22 and then threaded through aperture 15. The bolt also passes through aperture 21 before it engages end flange 12 so that the locking member is held against removal. After the bolt 16 has been tightened against end flange 12 so that the flange is held tightly against the inclined surface of lug 6, the upper end portion 23 of leg 19 is hammered down against the top edge of the head of bolt 16 and thereby prevents the bolt from turning loose under any conditions. Whenever it becomes necessary to remove the dust-guard cap, the upper portion 23 of the locking member is hammered back into its upright position so that bolt 16 may be loosened and the flange 12 pried back to the position shown in Figure 4.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact details of construction described.

I claim:

1. A dust-guard cap for journal boxes having overhanging lugs at opposite ends of a chamber in which a dust guard is positioned, said dust-guard cap comprising a top cover fitting above the chamber, a pair of side flanges engaging the side walls of the chamber, a pair of end flanges extending downwardly and inwardly from opposite ends of said top cover and fitting against the underside of said overhanging lugs, a bracket rigidly secured to said top cover adjacent one end thereof, said bracket having a leg extending downwardly in spaced relationship to one of said end flanges, a bolt including a head and a shank threaded through an aperture in said downwardly extending leg and having its inner end extended into engagement with said one end flange to jamb it against the underside of the lug, and a separate locking member mounted on said bolt, said locking member having one portion deformable by bending for engaging the head of the bolt to prevent it from turning.

2. A dust-guard cap for journal boxes having overhanging lugs on the outside thereof at opposite ends of a chamber in which a dust guard is positioned, said dustguard cap comprising a top cover fitting above the chamber, a pair of side flanges engaging the side walls of the chamber, a pair of end flanges extending downwardly and inwardly on the outside of the box from opposite ends of said top cover and fitting against the underside of said overhanging lugs, a bracket rigidly secured to said top cover adjacent one end thereof, said bracket having a rigid leg extending downwardly on the outer side of and in spaced relationship to one of said end flanges, and a bolt threaded through an aperture in said downwardly extending leg and having its inner end extended into engagement with said one end flange to jamb it against the underside of the lug.

3. A dust-guard cap for journal boxes having overhang ing lugs at opposite ends, said cap comprising a top cover and a pair of end flanges, one of said end flanges extending downwardly and inwardly to conform to the contour of the lug adjacent which it is positioned, a bracket secured to said cap having one leg extending downwardly in spaced relationship to said other end flange, a threaded aperture in the leg, a locking member having a pair of legs straddling said bracket leg, the legs of said locking member each having apertures larger than the aperture in said bracket leg and aligned therewith, and a bolt extending through all of said apertures and having its inner end extended into engagement with said other end flange,

said bolt being threaded to fit the aperture in said bracket leg whereby it may be turned inwardly to force said other end flange into engagement with the adjacent lug, one of the legs of said locking member being deformable by bending for engaging the head of said bolt to hold the bolt against turning after said other end flange is in engagement with the adjacent lug.

4. A dust-guard cap for journal boxes having overhanging lugs at opposite ends, said cap comprising a top cover and a pair of end flanges, one of said end flanges extending downwardly and inwardly to conform to the contour of the lug adjacent which it is positioned, a bracket secured to said cap having one leg extending downwardly in spaced relationship to the other end flange, a locking member having a pair of legs straddling said bracket leg, each of said three legs having apertured portions aligned with each other and with said other end flange, and a bolt extending through all of said apertured portions and having its inner end engaging the other of said end flanges, one of said apertured portions being threaded and said bolt being threaded to interengage said threaded apertured portion, whereby said bolt may be turned inwardly to force said other end flange against the lug adjacent thereto, the outer leg of said locking member having an upwardly projecting portion adapted to be forced outwardly into engagement with the head of said bolt to prevent said bolt from turning after it has forced said other end flange into engagement with the adjacent lug.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,581,416 Alpaugh Apr. 20, 1926 1,789,815 Hanley Jan. 20, 1931 2,150,756 Berg Mar. 14, 1939 2,152,580 Barrows Mar. 28, 1939 2,258,852 Horn et al. Oct. 14, 1941 2,315,455 Sale Mar. 30, 1943 

